Elizabeth Cochran (she later added an e to Cochran) was born on May 5, 1864. The was the 13th of 15 children. Her father was a factory owner and county judge. When he died when she was 6, he did not leave a will and the family was plunged into Read more…
Manfred von Richthofen was born on May 2, 1892 in Kleinburg, Germany (today Poland). His family was from the lower nobility and he inherited the title Freiherr (“free lord”) which was equivalent to a baron. He was sent to military school at age 11. He enlisted in the army at Read more…
I saw this story and thought it must be fake, but after researching it, I found that it is true and amazing. Louis Curdes wanted to fly, so he joined the Army Air Force in 1942. He was stationed in North Africa where he was in a P-38 Lightning Read more…
In American History classes, teachers tend to talk about Eisenhower and Montgomery as simply the generals that helped win WWII. We don’t have time to talk about personalities or personal dynamics. Personalities and personal dynamics can influence history. Here’s the story behind the relationship of the most famous American general Read more…
The greatest philosopher in history was executed on April 27, 399 B.C. Socrates had accumulated many enemies over his 70 years of life. His Socratic Method sometimes humiliated Athenians by showing they were confused in their beliefs. In 404 B.C., Athens lost the Peloponnesian War. Sparta installed a government Read more…
The worst nuclear power disaster in history started on April 26, 1986. It occurred at a nuclear power plant in what is today Ukraine (but was Russia back then). It is located 60 miles north of Kyiv. The accident was a 7 on a scale of 1-7 on the Read more…
Americans are familiar with the heroes of the Revolutionary War. People like Washington, Knox, Lafayette, and Hamilton are well known, but they all were officers. Few people have heard of the most famous common soldier of the war. Joseph Plumb Martin was born in Massachusetts on November 21, 1760. Read more…
In 1702, the new governor-general opened the New York Assembly in an elegant hoop dress and elaborate headdress. The only problem was she was a he. Lord Cornbury had been appointed to the position because he was the cousin of Queen Anne of England. When asked about his dress, Read more…
In the late 16th Century, Protestant Britain and Catholic Spain were at each other’s throats. Spain was the leading power, but the British were constantly nipping at the hem of its robe. War broke out in 1585 as Spain finally had enough of England’s provocations. England supported the Dutch Read more…
The architect of the Pearl Harbor attack was assassinated on April 18, 1943. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the head of the Japanese navy and the man most responsible for Japanese successes in the war in the Pacific. He was indispensable. On April 14, the naval codebreaking effort called “Magic” Read more…